The present invention relates to reamers.
In particular, the present invention relates to reamers designed for the special purpose of removing mucosa from the lumen of a tubular body organ.
As is well known, when an implant is introduced into a tubular body organ, it is desirable to cause the tissue of the tubular body organ to grow into the pores of an ingrowth means carried by the implant at the exterior thereof. The growth of tissue into the ingrowth means is enhanced by removing mucosa at least from that part of the inner surface of the tubular body organ which engages the ingrowth means.
A reamer of this type must meet certain requirements. Thus, a simple elongated body having a roughened surface will indeed suffice to remove mucosa, but the roughened surface rapidly becomes plugged with the mucosa and an efficient removal of the mucosa cannot be achieved with such a reamer. In other words, provision must be made for receiving the removed mucosa in such a way that it will not interfere with the operation of the reamer, while at the same time assuring a reaming action which will cleanly and quickly remove the mucosa without undesirably damaging the body tissue from which the mucosa is removed.